Description
A flavorful Moroccan Chicken Tagine recipe featuring tender chicken thighs simmered with fragrant spices, lemon, garlic, olives, and carrots in a rich sauce. This hearty dish is perfect for a cozy family meal and pairs beautifully with couscous.
Ingredients
Scale
Spice Mix
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Chicken and Marinade
- 1 lemon
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 pounds), trimmed of excess skin and fat
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Vegetables and Garnish
- 1 large yellow onion, halved and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
- 2 large or 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick coins
- ½ cup Greek cracked green olives, pitted and halved
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Other Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1¾ cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Prepare spices and lemon mixture: Combine the paprika, cumin, cayenne, ginger, coriander, and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside. Zest the lemon and combine 1 teaspoon of the zest with 1 minced garlic clove; set this mixture aside.
- Season and brown the chicken: Season both sides of the chicken thighs with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or pan over medium-high heat until nearly smoking. Brown the chicken skin side down in a single layer until deep golden, about 5 minutes. Flip and brown the other side for about 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; once cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and discard. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan.
- Cook onions and create sauce base: Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onions and cook until browned at the edges but still holding shape, about 5 to 7 minutes, adding a splash of water if the pan becomes too dark. Add the remaining minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the spices and flour and cook, stirring constantly, for another 30 seconds to toast the flour.
- Add liquids and simmer chicken: Stir in chicken broth, honey, the remaining lemon zest, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Return the chicken with its juices to the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add carrots and finish cooking: Add the carrots, cover the pan, and continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through and carrots are tender-crisp, about 10 more minutes.
- Finish with olives and fresh ingredients: Stir in the cracked green olives, the reserved lemon zest-garlic mixture, chopped cilantro, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed. Serve hot with couscous.
- Notes on trimming and olives: Trimming the chicken is optional since the skin is removed midway and fat drains off. Use kitchen shears to quickly snip excess skin or fat. Cracked green olives are split before curing; substitute with any preferred green olives if unavailable.
- Make-Ahead Tip: After cooking the carrots, the dish can be refrigerated up to 2 days. Warm gently on the stove before adding the olives, lemon-garlic mixture, cilantro, and lemon juice prior to serving.
Notes
- Trimming excess chicken skin and fat is optional since skin is removed during cooking and fat drains off.
- Cracked green olives have been split before curing for better flavor absorption; substitute any green olives if needed.
- Use kitchen shears for quick trimming of chicken if desired.
- This dish can be made ahead and refrigerated after cooking the carrots; reheat gently before adding final ingredients.
- Serve the tagine with couscous or your favorite grain to soak up the flavorful sauce.
